H.R. 3785: Correcting Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act

114th Congress · introduced 2015-10-21 · Immigration · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-10-21 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Correcting Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act

Plain summary

Correcting Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act This bill prohibits an executive agency from using the following terms in any rule, regulation, interpretation, publication, other document, display, or sign issued by the agency except to the extent that the term is used in quoting or reproducing text written by a source other than an officer or employee of the agency: "alien" when used to refer to an individual who is not a U.S. citizen or national, and "illegal alien" when used to refer to an individual who is unlawfully present in the United States or who lacks a lawful U.S. immigration status. In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of various U.S. administrative bureaus and agencies, the term "foreign national" in federal law means any individual other than an individual who: (1) is a U.S. citizen; or (2) though not a U.S. citizen, owes permanent allegiance to the United States. Any reference in any federal statute, rule, regulation, executive order, publication, or other U.S. document to the term: "alien" when used to refer to an individual who is not a U.S. citizen or national is deemed to refer to the term "foreign national," and "illegal alien" when used to refer to an individual who is unlawfully present in the United States or who lacks a lawful U.S. immigration status is deemed to refer to the term "undocumented foreign national." Conforming amendments are made to specified Acts.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Correcting Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20] · 108 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Marc A. Veasey (D-TX), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Scott H. Peters (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Norma J. Torres (D-CA), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Paul Tonko (D-NY) and 48 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20] reported raising $592,416 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr3785.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr3785 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114